Fire-escape.



ROBERT ZUBE, OF SHELL LAKE, WISCONSIN.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 22, 1907.

Application filed March 29. 1907- Serial No- 365,380.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT ZUBE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Shell Lake, in the county of Washburn and State ofWisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in fire escapes of that typeadapted to be folded or rolled into close compass for storage ortransportation, the object of the invention being to provide a simple,efiicient, reliable and inexpensive type of apparatus of this characterin which improved means are provided for supporting and staying thedevice when in use, and which will serve to hold the device in positionfirmly and securely during the descent of one or more persons, thuseffectually preventing any possible danger of release of the fire escapewhen under the strain of bearing the Weight of the person or persons.

The drawing shows a perspective view of a fire escape embodying myinvention, as arranged in position for use.

The device comprises a ladder 1, the sides 2 of which are preferablycomposed of rope or some other similar flexible material of properdiameter and strength, said sidesbeing connected by rungs 3 arranged atdesired intervals apart, and which may be composed of rods of steel orother suitable material. At the lower end of the ladder thus formed is abottom connecting rung or bar 4, of proper form and weight to restsquarely upon the pavement or other surface and to cause the ladder tounfold by gravity when unloaded at a window or from some other suitableportion of a building for descent.

Pivotally connected with the upper rung 5 of the ladder, which rung ismade of maximum strength, are holding arms or levers 6, the free ends ofwhich are beveled or tapered to points to form spurs or holding teeth 7to engage-the side wall of the building. Employed in conjunction withsaid levers is a suspending frame comprising side bars or levers 8connected and braced by cross pieces or rods 9. The lower ends of thesebars are formed with yokes 10 which receive and are pivotally connectedwith the levers 6, as at 11, while the upper ends of the bars arearcuately curved, as at 12 to extend in a convenient manner over thesill of a window, the terminals of said upper ends of the bars beingprovided with outwardly and downwardly projecting spurs 13 adapted tohook under the inner edge of the sill and to sink into said sill toretain said suspending frame in position.

The construction of the device permits the ladder section to beconveniently rolled upon itself and folded in close compass with thesuspending means to enable the device to be packed for storage ortransportation, so that in the event of a fire the apparatus may beconveniently carried to a window or other suitable portion of thebuilding for the escape of the occupants. In setting the device foroperation, the lower or free end of the ladder is cast out from thewindow, the weighted bar 4 at the lower end thereof causing the ladderto unwind by gravity. The levers 6 are then set against the outer sideof the side wall of the building and the grappling hooks of thesuspending frame engaged with the sill of the window in the manner shownin the draw ing. It will accordingly be understood that when the deviceis thus supported a person may grasp the rods 7 as hand holds andconveniently lower himself on to the ladder and then pass down the sameto the ground, roof of an adjoining building or other point to which theladder extends. It will also be apparent that the greater the weight ofthe person descending the ladder the greater the pressure upon thelevers 6 and the grappling hooks, causing them to engage the portions ofthe building with which they contact with great force, whereby theapparatus will be firmly held in operative position.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is: I

A fire escape comprising a flexible ladder weighted at its lower end,holding arms or levers pivotally mounted at one end at the upper end ofthe ladder and having pointed free ends to engage the side wall of abuilding, and grappling hooks connected by rounds and forming an upperauxiliary laddersection, said hooks being pivotally connected at theirlower ends to the arms between the ends of the latter, the upper ends ofthe hooks being arcuately curved to extend over and embrace the sill ofa window and provided with spurs extending toward the pivoted ends ofthe hooks.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT ZUBE.

Witnesses W. B. KERR, L. H. MEAD.

